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AMID the
massive advertising and marketing campaigns that
characterize the local retail landscape, a low-key
homegrown fashion label has kept itself afloat. For 34
years, Collezione has remained competitive, building and
solidifying a clientele satisfied with its uncomplicated
designs.
“There
are several traits of Collezione that I feel have
endeared itself to the Filipinos—its quality,
durability, comfort and classic designs are a few of
them. The brand has established a heritage after 34
years of being in the business. Furthermore, the
Filipinos now have something new to look forward to with
Rhett Eala at the helm of our creative department,”
explains Joey Cua, the brand’s managing director. “Rhett
joined the company six months ago and he is our new
creative director and design chief. He will be injecting
a fresh perspective to the brand and give our
merchandise mix a new and more exciting design direction
for the years to come.”
Eala is
one of the more stimulating designers working in fashion
today, having jump-started the local trends of wearing
the peasant blouse, the use of fake fur as accents and
incorporating sparkling sequins in his delicate dresses.
“Rhett Eala has had retail and ready-to-wear experience
with his Due label at Rustan’s as well as his own
boutique called Wink,” offers Robbie Francisco, the
brand’s communications officer.
Collezione was established in 1972 and C2, which is the
second-generation Collezione, started in 2000.
Collezione caters to the more mature and conservative
clientele while C2 has more modern and contemporary
designs intended for the younger and hipper set. “We are
quite pleased with our sales for the past six years
considering that we haven’t really advertised. Our
margins have been healthy since we have kept our
advertising expense exceptionally low for the past 34
years,” Qua says.
The
label positions itself to be a premium local brand with
an affordable price tag on its merchandise. It caters to
the predominantly B and C socioeconomic bracket but aims
to engage the A market as an alternative to the imported
brands that this market segment frequently buys. It
believes it can appeal to their patriotic sense and buy
a genuinely all-Filipino brand and be proud to wear what
is truly designed and made locally. Collezione is
confident that its products can truly compare with the
imported brands out there today in terms of quality and
design.
“The
first-generation Collezione was content without the
glitz and noise of marketing our products since the
company felt at the time that the product should speak
for itself, and if you have a good product it will sell
itself. It truly worked back then, and that’s why we
have established a lot of loyal and satisfied customers
through the years,” says Qua.
But the
brand could not just sit back and relax while others are
aggressively courting its market. Qua qualifies: “A new
landscape in the local fashion industry has emerged and,
therefore, I felt it was high time we made the necessary
adjustments to compete effectively with several good
local and imported brands out there today. The
competitive environment has raised the bar a few notches
and so we now have to tap into our creative bank and
allow the brand to evolve and innovate itself in order
to stand out once again.”
To make
its presence felt in a big way, Collezione staged a
fashion show at the Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila
directed by Robbie Carmona. The more mature and loyal
customers saw happier and brighter colors, while Eala
retained the brand’s classic lines and designs, although
Qua says that people can expect the designer to inject a
bit of a modern twist to make the loyal clients
appreciate his design talent, while making them feel
younger but without losing the respect that such a
mature clientele deserves. The new and younger set of
consumers for the C2 label will see and appreciate the
more modern and contemporary designs of Eala which will
carry the soul and heritage of the brand’s 34 years of
existence, giving it a vintage and more regal appeal.
Eala’s
collection will eventually showcase a full range of
clothes which includes bottoms, jackets, dresses and
even accessories. “I’m quite optimistic with the
prospects of growth here in the Philippine market. Our
store sales have increased every year for the past six
years, so I am looking forward to brighter years ahead,
especially with the growing and more progressive economy
that our country is experiencing today,” Qua explains.
“We are currently finalizing our marketing plans and we
keep our options open to having celebrity endorsers. We
have to get creative and present ourselves differently
from the rest of the other brands.”
Collezione boutiques are located at Festival Mall
Alabang, Market! Market! BGC, Robinsons Galleria, Ayala
Center Cebu, SM City Cebu, SM City Davao, SM City
Iloilo, SM Batangas, SM City Lucena, SM City San Lazaro,
Robinsons Starmills Pampanga and the newest one in
TriNoma. |
